Impacted residential care providers were notified of this additional funding and provided the Program requirements for Four-bed therapeutic care: Interim addendum to the Program requirements for residential care in Victoria (interim addendum). This interim addendum articulates the additional requirements that apply to the base four-bed residential care targets that received the additional funding for therapeutic supports while work to develop a fully refreshed model of therapeutic care is completed.
From 1 July 2024, the department’s audit program will include audits of the residential care homes that received the additional funding for therapeutic supports in January 2024 against the additional requirements outlined in the interim addendum. These audits will focus on items including, but not limited to:
- Recruitment of the therapeutic specialist.
- Where a therapeutic specialist has not yet been recruited, evidence of engagement with local Agency Performance and System Support (APSS) to obtain advice and support to overcome implementation issues and identify potential alternative strategies or approaches, where necessary and appropriate, to support successful implementation and delivery of therapeutic residential care.
- Where arrangements other than subcontracting the employment of the therapeutic specialist is in place by an organisation, evidence that an alternative proposal has been submitted to the department.
- The role of the therapeutic specialist, in line with the requirements outlined in the interim addendum.
- Completion and/or progress towards assessments and individual therapeutic treatment plans for every child or young person.
If you have any questions about the upcoming audits against the interim addendum, please contact Care Services at Care.Services@dffh.vic.gov.au.